


basketball sucks

by schwanenkoenigin



Category: Fifth Harmony (Band)
Genre: Anxiety, Camila suffers the entire time because DNA are assholes, F/F, First Kiss, Panic Attacks, but Lauren's a literal Hero so it's ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-11
Updated: 2017-11-11
Packaged: 2019-01-30 12:06:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12653238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schwanenkoenigin/pseuds/schwanenkoenigin
Summary: ...the kiss cam AU that nobody asked for





	basketball sucks

**Author's Note:**

> YO this deals with anxiety in case you skipped reading the tags so please be careful if you know something like that might trigger you ok

She doesn't want to be here. She really, _absolutely_ doesn't want to be here. There are so many people, _too_ many people, and she doesn't have any space to herself. She can't breathe. Why are the seats so goddamn close to each other?

This – the people, the lack of space, literally  _everything_ – is a reminder of why it is, exactly, that she doesn't ever go out to watch sports events live. Not football, not baseball, and _especially_ not basketball. Because, on top of everything, they're _inside a building_ right now,and the air is all sticky, and–

She _can't_ fucking _breathe_. Surely on the edge of an anxiety attack, she stares right ahead. Doesn't pay attention to the game, the players, the people on the other side of the court. All she does is sit there, frozen. Her eyes are expressionless. Her face, too. She can't process anything right now, is too focused on her breathing. She has to concentrate. Get it together. Or she may end up making a fool of herself, hyperventilating in the middle of a _fucking_ basketball game. It's going be _the_ news tomorrow if she isn't careful. 

Not that she's famous or anything... but the press has its ways. And she's going to be all over the local section if she doesn't focus right now and stop the attack before it even begins.

So she closes her eyes and tries to remember something her therapists have told her. Tries to remember _anything_. She's almost crying now. Her brain seems to be empty. But– fuck, she's got think of _something_. Alright, so, the pressure she's putting on herself isn't exactly helping but– 

 _Counting_. 

She needs to _count down_. Starting with one hundred. And just– it goes like this: she takes a breath, counts down for ten seconds, and exhales. Repeats until she's reached zero.

She can do that.

Right?

Yeah. She _has_ to do it. 

Eyes still closed, finally managing to drown out the game and cheers and her friends chattering, she takes a deep breath. Starts counting. One hundred. Ninety-nine. Ninety-eight. Ninety-seven. Ninety-six. Ninety-five. Ninety-four. Ninety-three. Ninety-two. Ninety-one. 

Ninety.

She opens her eyes, looks up at the ceiling, breathes out. Closes her eyes again, inhales. Back to the counting.

When she reaches seventy, after a while, she feels that she's a lot calmer already. Good. She continues on, though, counts down to forty. 

Then she opens her eyes for good.

And she's hit with some other reason she hates this. This– as in, sports events. Everything about them. Okay, yeah,  _basketball_ games in particular.

The kiss cams.

Of course she's lucky enough to have one directed at her right now.

Her and _Lauren_.

 _Shit_.

She blinks rapidly, her breathing erratic again. This was not supposed to happen. None of this. She can't even get out of it now. Can't leave. If she does, she'll make it into the papers after all. 

If only her friends had listened to her. Why don't Dinah, Normani and Ally ever listen to her? Fucking hell, she should have never agreed to this. Why'd she–

"It's okay," she distantly hears Lauren say.

No, it's not. Not at all. But she still turns toward the girl, gives her a forced smile and agrees, "Yeah."

Lauren, always receptive, puts a hand on Camila's cheek in a comforting manner. She proceeds, "I know this isn't easy, but I'm here. I'm here for _you_. Let's– if you don't want to do this, tell me. We don't have to, okay? I understand. We'll run away, and–"

It all happens so fast. Camila can't hear– she can read lips, sort of, but right now, even _that_ doesn't help. Because it all happens in a rush, and she doesn't understand half of what Lauren's saying. She's sure the girl means well. She always does. It's part of why she's so in love with her.

Camila turns her head away from Lauren, just to see the cameras still on them. 

She bites her lip and glances down at her sweaty hands. Then back at a concerned Lauren who's trying to talk her through a – maybe, at this point, inevitable – anxiety attack. This is an opportunity like no other, she decides. It might cost her her sanity for good but– the anxiety attacks already fuck her up enough. So, then, without thinking about what consequences it might bring to her relationship with Lauren – and the others – she leans toward her and connects their lips.

If she seems surprised, Lauren doesn't show it. Instead – much to _Camila_ 's surprise – she reciprocates. Moves her lips along with hers. 

They embrace each other; their lips find each other again and again. They fit perfectly. And, God, Lauren tastes like strawberries, _how_ does she taste like strawberries?

The kiss is everything Camila's ever wanted and more. It's certainly not her first kiss, and Lauren is very certainly not the only one she's ever kissed, but...

This kiss, this very kiss, this _one_ kiss makes her want to kiss Lauren forever. Just _Lauren_. Forever. Always. 

They keep kissing until the cameras are long gone. Their hands are still buried in one another's hair – Camila has no idea when or how they even got there – and their mouths are still connected when suddenly–

"I knew it. Y'all owe me twenty dollars."

It's unmistakably Dinah's voice, and once the words have reached her brain, her eyes are wide open, and she jumps back. As far as her small space allows this, anyway. She's about to apologize, but Lauren interrupts her– not even spoken yet words? Her thoughts, getting ready to burst out?

"I love you."

Camila's eyes grow wider. Is she– she didn't drink before this, did she? She's completely sober. And she– this isn't a dream, either, right?

No, Dinah is only ever this blunt in real life. So this means Lauren is–

"Like– I'm in love with you."

Okay, now Camila is really about to– God. _Air._  She needs air. She feels the impending attack– and it's not– and not because of all the people around her and– she barely manages to choke out, "I don't– I need to–"

Lauren understands, apparently. Because she grabs her hand, excuses the two of them – not without earning a thumbs up from Ally, a raised eyebrow yet a satisfied smile from Normani and a smug look from Dinah, however – and leads them right through the crowd and out the door. 

Camila doesn't process what's happening. Cannot. 

Next thing she knows, she's standing in front of whatever arena they were in, facing Lauren. Almost hyperventilating, still.

"Sh, Camz." Lauren hugs her, but not too tightly. Intent on giving her the space she needs, intent on letting Camila decide if she wants this hug. "I'm right here. I'll always be right here."

Camila closes her eyes. She knows Laurens telling the truth. She relaxes. Slowly.

They hold each other for a while. Then, Camila finally says, "Thank you." She's on the verge of tears. It's frustrating, why does she cry all the time?

"It's okay, baby. You know I care deeply for you." Lauren's hand strokes her back. It's so comforting that Camila suddenly blurts out–

"I'm in love with you, too." The second she's said it, she starts panicking. But then again– Lauren's said it already. So she's not crossing any lines. Or is she? God, this is– "Sorry, I shouldn't–" Apologizing is a good way to start. It also makes her relive the past few minutes and she– God, she really doesn't feel great right now–

Lauren chuckles into her neck. Before Camila has the time to analyze what it means, however, she says, "I hate the others for doing this to you, for putting you in this position, but I'm glad we finally sorted this– um– this thing between us out."

The words are calming, in a way. And they're clear. And– Camila can finally get her breathing in order. She actually smiles, too. "Yeah, me– me too. I, um– do you–" 

"Let's go on a date," Lauren interrupts her.

Still clinging to the girl desperately – maybe even more so now that she knows this is _real_ – she whimpers, "Really?

"Yeah," Lauren says confidently.

The hug ends with Lauren pulling back. But only to kiss Camila again.

Camila lets it happen. She likes hugs, a _lot_ , but Lauren _kissing_ her is a good enough reason not to hug, she decides. (The _only_ acceptable one, maybe.)

They smile into the kiss. Deepen it.

Basketball games still suck but, admittedly, there _is_  a tiny bit of magic to them. Camila can't deny that.

**Author's Note:**

> damn.....i just _love_ anxiety. don't you? :))
> 
> as usual it'd be great if y'all left kudos and/or comments :)


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